Glen Powell fueled speculation by following James Gunn and Batman: The Brave and the Bold director Andy Muschietti on social media. Is Glen Powell the new Batman in the DCU?
Finding James Gunn’s DCU Batman
As the release date for James Gunn’s Superman draws closer, it’s clear DC will use the Man of Steel’s latest solo film as the entry point for the franchise’s new cinematic universe. That includes introducing characters outside the usual Superman mythos, like Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner and Isabela Merced’s Hawkgirl.
Still, if the DCEU is anything to go by, fans love seeing the Man of Steel sharing the screen with the one and only Dark Knight. As the two most iconic characters from DC’s publication history, it makes perfect sense for Batman to form a new Dynamic Duo with Supes in the upcoming film. After all, Gunn’s last DC project, The Suicide Squad, is closely tied to the Caped Crusader’s Rogues Gallery.
As always, the intrigue surrounding the casting of a beloved superhero has fans fervently discussing possible picks. One fan-favourite actor for the Batman role has always been Reacher‘s Alan Ritchson, who Kevin Smith once called “Batman without a cape.” Now, however, it appears the identity of the next Bruce Wayne is all but confirmed.
The New Face of Gotham
Glen Powell, better known for his work on Top Gun Maverick and Twisters, will likely be the next Batman. In May, the actor mentioned how he’d love to play the Caped Crusader, even mentioning the type of Batman he would be.
“I was always a Batman guy,” Powell told GQ in an interview. He recalls working with David Corenswet on Twisters when the actor got the call telling him he’d be the next Man of Steel. Powell never auditioned for Superman, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t been to Gotham before.
Powell played a small part in The Dark Knight Rises, where he plays a trader who gets smashed by Tom Hardy’s Bane. Now, a bit over a decade later, Powell might be the one who gets to smack Bane on the big screen, if all the rumours about his casting are true. And there are plenty of reasons to believe they are.
Social Media Buzz
As if Powell’s interviews weren’t enough proof to show he had some connection to the new Batman, X (formerly Twitter) denizens were quick to notice the actor had been following some very interesting people on social media. First, Powell followed James Gunn and Andy Muschietti. The Argentinian filmmaker is set to direct The Brave and the Bold, all but confirming Powell is following that film’s development very closely.
The rabbit hole goes deeper, however. Dedicated fans also noticed Powell had begun following Isabela Merced and Rachel Brosnahan, who’s set to play Lois Lane in James Gunn’s Superman. Even more curious is the fact that Powell and Brosnahan have never worked together in the past, fueling the fires of speculation even more.
Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait a while before we can confirm (or disprove) these rumours. Gunn has mentioned that Batman will not appear in his Superman film. The next Dark Knight will make his DCU debut in The Brave and the Bold – a movie that still lacks a release date.
In any case, Glen Powell’s involvement in the DCU seems all but confirmed. Even if it’s just a cameo, there’s some reason to believe he’s playing a part in the upcoming Superman film. Let’s just hope the next Batman – whoever he might be (maybe Kit Harrington, Jim Caviezel, or Jake Gyllenhaal) – lives up to the expectations of the fans who wanted to see more of the misunderstood Batfleck.
Tell us, would you like to see Glen Powell as the DCU’s new Batman?
